Alkaline dry cells (alkaline manganese dry cells) are widely used because the capacity is large and a large current can be drawn. Alkaline dry cells normally include a gelled negative electrode containing a zinc powder or a zinc alloy powder as a negative electrode active material. To suppress corrosion of negative electrode active materials due to alkaline electrolyte solutions, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose that aryl carboxylic acids, such as terephthalic acid and salicylic acid, are used as anti-corrosive agents for negative electrode active materials of alkaline dry cells.
In applications pertaining to, for example, portable audio devices, electronic games, lighting devices, and toys, there is a need for alkaline dry cells having good discharge characteristics in a middle current region (e.g., 50 mA to 500 mA) (middle-rate discharge characteristics). Even if alkaline dry cells have good high-rate discharge characteristics or good low-rate discharge characteristics, good middle-rate discharge characteristics are not always obtained.